Distillation process



H. A. HILLSA DISTILLMION PROCESS.

APPLICATION man MAY?, 1911.

ante May Z9 M221 2 SHEETS-SHEET E,

A. -TXLLS, DE GRAND BPIDS, M'ICHXGN Be it known that l. lli-:Mfr nl. illus. a. itis/,on oi tho llnitrd titulos. and a residrnt oi the. nity of Grand llupids. iu tho county ol Kont und Stato of dinhigan, huw invented Certain new and usolful lmprorouwnts in Distillution lroi'irssos; and l do hifrohy d laro that tl1(.l`ollo\\'iiig is :i `i'ull. Vlaar. and oxzuft description of the Same, roloroni'zo heing had to tho accompanying drawings, and to the ninnorals of reference marked :hiervon `which torni a part o'i" this spooilioation.

rlhis invontion relatos lo an improved disiilla'tion process und oonstrurliin ol' a still.l particularly designed for use in rloauing nstuhlislunonti and for other similar pui-hows whore it is desired to purify the vlianing agout or liquid7 :is i'or iiislanizix gasoliuo or benzine. after tho sami; has hoi-n uswl. Many other dili'oront typos o stills havo linen do- Signod for tho rocof'ory oi leaning 'iuid hy distillation` somo oporatingj hy what is known :is tho wot process. whirh involvvs tho diront inlrodiu-tion of a jot. oi' shaun. and. others operatingl hy what is known as the dry prorrss7 involving tlul uso ol' strani coils 'lor heating; the fluid in tho stili.

'lho ohjoction to the dry ix'irtliod wlueroin the stoom coils` only are used is that thex oon tents ol the still romain rolatiroly uuiesront vuntil a grnoration ot gos taires plano., and as :i oonsefnonlo a touming and they ifontonts insults whit-h ouilils up and' arrhes tho dirt over with ,tho distilled vapor, and as ai oonsuuiunre, a dirty priuluot ohtained.

The objection to thiq wot method oi' distillation is that a largo .porri-niagr of wator of condensation 'hm-.onlus mixed with the distillateA` and furthermore, ihr rliicionifj.' of tho process is low 'as the method involws the use A of a considera-lilo amount ol' sto/am for inVA troductiori into th@x fluid to he distilled.v

This invention relates to :in improved dis` tilling process and its related type of still designed to operato holh with a' steam luating coil and also with a jet of lixjo steam which is blown directly into through a special steam nriixingh nozzle. ln this invention a steam roil is disposed in the lower end of tho still togolhor with a stoam jot of novol Construction for introduction of live stofun into the contents of the still to agit-ate the saine and causo a rapid circulan tion and flow ahout tho steam coils which are disposed within the otill.

Specification o1" Letters Patent.

tho liquid' Pa i ont oil Tony 2E, 917. Serial No. 157,01?,

It is an object horil'oiii ot' this invention to provide a distiilinp; process wherein a valrod arrangonuint ol strain ooils and a. steam jot t'or thiJ intriuhu-tion of livr sto/ani into the vontonts of a still is provided so that a most olliritnt operation ot thv still unit' 'o1- ihtaiiiod for the recovery of tho volatile liquid.

lt is Ylf'urlhrrmoro an important object of this intention to provide a still ouuippod with heating strani izoils in tho ionior ond then-of and with the lower end o'l the constriufted to facilitata dra wing oil the residue otter a distillingy operation and with a steam jet of special construction mounted in the lower end of the stillV to causo a rapid agitation and circulation ot' the contents of the still, and yet oliviating pounding', and together with said coils, provided with n valve for the control of the flow of steam therethrough.

lt is finally an ohio-t ot this invention to provide' a nrw distillation process and to ronstruct a still in 'sufvordance therewitl Ai'rovided with steam mils and a nozzle `for iluintroduction of livi steam into the oontrnls olf the still heated hy said steam coils i'or thoy rapid und ol'livient distillation of fluids to he riiio'i'orod from thv still.

the invention (in n preferred form) is illustratod in lh(- lrawiug's und hereinafter more fully iloscrihrd.

.lgfuro l is n sidix adoration ol` a completo distillation apparatus ol whirh a still einhodying the princii'ilos of my invention tornis a part.

Figure 2 is :i (li-tail srmional vir-w broken away takon on line` l, with 'parts in Slovatlox.

Figure 3 is a drtail sootiou hilton on lintA .323 ot' Figure Figur@ 4 is a dotail section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2. with parts omitted.

liiguro 5 is a detail soi-tion laken on lino 5 5 of Figure 4.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference immoral 1. indicates as a whole a trame on which is mounted a rosorvoir or tank 2, containing tho fluid to he distilled. Tho Still itsull consists of a rylindrioal tank soc-tion B, which is ralso mounted upon thi` tramo work l, hold soifurvd thereon by hriu'liot :wins-oi' braces 1l, and :it its oppor ond is proi'iilrd with a conical top into which /an outlet pipo 5, tor tho .listillate is part ly 2--2 ot li'iguro -provided upon the lower end drical tank 3, with an apex provided. A conical, bottom member 7, is'

and communicating into the offset apex, is

, an outlet pipe 8, provided with a valve 9.

Mounted in the lower end of the still within the conical bottom section 7, is a steam lcoupling 16, on

` T 31, is a draw-oil' pipe 32, by which the' coil 10, the inlet of which on the exterior of the still is provided with a valve 11, controlling the supply of steam from a steam supply line 12. The outlet or exhaust line for the Steam coils 10, is denoted by the reference numeral 13, and is provided with a valve 14. A steam nozzle for the introduction of live steam is mounted within the lstillintermediate the steam coils 10, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and consists of a section'of pipe 15, which is threaded into a coupling 16, secured in sealing relation through an aperture in the side wall of the still vbottom section 7. .Secured upon said pipe section 15, spaced therefrom and extending beyond the inner end thereof, is a cylindrical shell 17, provided with holes` 18, near the point of connection thereof with said pipe 15. Also connected into said the exteriorI of the still, is 'an inlet steam pipe 19, provided with a valve 20, to control the flow of steam thereinto from the steam line 12, with which the same is connected.

The outlet pipe 6, from the still leads into a `condenser 21, also mounted upon the frame support 1, adjacent the still, and, at the bottom of the condenser, a draw-off pipe 22, is provided, leading into a separator 23,

wherein the oil and water are separated from one another after condensation. An inlet pipe 24, is provided communicating into the lower end of the condenser to admit the cooling fluid thereinto and an outlet pipe v25, is provided near the upper end of the condenser lfor exit of said cooling fluid. A vent pipe26, leads upwardly from the separator 23, and together with another vent pipe 27, connected into the reservoir tank 2, is connected to a Common vent pipe 28.

As clearly shown in pipe 29, provided with cates through a T 31, connected into the bottom of the reservoir tank 2, by which the fluid to be distilled for recovery is admitted into said tank 2. Also connected into said Figure 1, an inlet a valve 30, commufluid to be purified may be drawn from said tank 2, and conducted into the still 3, said pi e being provided with a valve 33.

v .he operation is as follows:

The fluid to be treatedfor recovery is run into the reservoir tank 2, through the pipe 29, by opening the valve 30, and closing the valve 33, whichcortrols the outlet from said tank 2. After closure of the inlet vif a high grade of valve 30, the outlet valve 3B, is opened to permit a quantity of the fluid to flow into the still V3, after which said valve is closed. 4The steam valve 11, is then opened to admitJ steam into the steam coils 10, and distillate is desired the still is operated as a dry still (with 'the steam coil only). As soon as the flow begins to check however, owing to the higher boiling` point, the steam valve 20, is also opened to admit live steam directly into the contents of the still through the steam nozzle 15-17 The passage of steam through this nozzle draws the liquid into the nozzle through the holes 18 and then expels it forcibly causing the mixed steam and liquid to impinge against the further side of the sloping bottom 7, whence it is deflected upwardly. This creates a circulation of the liquid in a vertical plane, and consequently prevents the accumulation of froth and scum on the surface.

-Moreoven the combined vapor pressures of the steam and the heated fluid cause a more etiicient distillation, due to the fact that both Vfluids will distill over at a boiling point lower than that of either of the ingredients separately. By proper manipulan tion of the respective steam valves 1l and 20, an effective and efficient heating of the contents of the still is assured to obtain the most eficient distillation of the volatile fluid, while the'v dirt and sediment and other matter settles to the bottom of the still, (and may be drawn oil' from time to 'time through the pipe 8, by opening the valve 9. y

The combination of wet and dry methods of distillation, that is, the use of the steam nozzlefor introduction of live steam and, the steam coils for the dry heating' of the contents of the still, insures a highly efficient process for the recovery of the volatile cleaning fluid. The peculiar construction of the steam nozzle v1.5---17 prevents pounding as the steam is introduced, and the use of the' steam nozzle together with the heating coils breaks up the bubbling and foaming effect which would otherwise take place were the steam coils 10, only used, as the bubbling and foaming eii'ect sometimes floats thedirty matter and sediment over through the outlet pipe of the still with the, volatile distillate.

The volatile fluid leaving the still, containing a certain quantity of water vapor, enters the condenser 21, where the same is condensed, and then flows outwardly 4at the lower end thereof into the separator 23, wherein the water and volatile liquid or oil are separated from one another.

l am aware that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the princin plesof this invention, and l therefore do not purpose limiting the granted i3 otherwise than necessitatedy by the prior art.

l claim as my invention: l

l. A distillation,processl including heating liquid in a still having an inclined bottom and simultaneously propelling a part oi' the liquid horizontally against the inclined bottom to produce a circulation of the liquid in a vertical plane and thereby aid in .the vaporization of the latter and inhibit foaming. i

2. A distillation process including heating liquid in a still having an inclined bottom and simultaneously churning up the liquid by injecting live steam 'against the inclined bottom ot the still and thereby aid in the vaporization of the latter and inhibit foaming.

3. A distillation process including heating liquid in .a still having an inclined bottom, sucking liquid by means of a steam injector from a point adjacent the bottoni of the still and projecting it horiaontally at a higher point in the still and against the inclined bottom thereoitherev by churning up the liquid for the purpose of aiding'vaporization of the same and in- 4. A.' distillatlon process including heating liquid in a still having an inclined bottom, sucking liquid from .a pointl adjacent the bottom of the still and projecting it horizontally at a higher point in the still and against the inclined bottom thereof to produce a circulation of the liquid in a vertical plane in order for the purpose of aiding the vaporization of the latter and inhibiting foaming. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'subscribed my name in the subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY A. HILLS. vlVitnesses:

CHARLES W.- HILLS, Jr., EARL M. HARDINE.

presence of two Y 

